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Mask mini-primer
Mask like keeper is one of the few decks, which has a lot of variants.
A "mask" deck is basically one which runs the combo
Illusionary Mask + Phyrexian Dreadnaught.
Very common question asked by people starting to play or trying to
understand how the Mask/Dreadnaught works.
For reference:
Illusionary Mask (official Oracle text)
Artifact.
Casting Cost: 2
Text {X}: Put a creature card with converted mana cost X or less from
your hand into play face down as a 0/1 creature. Put X mask counters on
that creature. Play this ability only any time you could play a sorcery.
You may turn the creature face up any time you could play an instant by
removing all mask counters from it. [Oracle 2002/10/01]
~The counters are added to distinguish the card from Morphs.
~This card allows you to put a creature card into play without playing
it and while ignoring the colored mana requirements in its cost.
[D'Angelo 2001/08/15]
~The creature is considered to be a 0/1 colorless creature with no name,
creature type, expansion symbol, or abilities, and a mana cost of zero.
None of the true characteristics of the card apply. This is true as long
as it is face down. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 504.2]
~The creature enters play face down, so none of its "comes into
play" abilities will trigger or have any effect. [CompRules
2001/07/23 - 504.2] Also none of the "If this would come into
play" abilities apply. [D'Angelo 2002/05/15]
~The controller may turn it face up any time that player has priority.
This action does not go on the stack. [CompRules 2001/07/23 - 504.3]
~The creature's "comes into play" abilities (and any other
abilities relating to the creature coming into play) do not trigger when
it turns face up. [CompRules 2001/07/23]
Only the controller of the face down creature can look at it. [Onslaught
Rules 2002/09/15]
Q: Can you explain the errata on Phyrexian Dreadnaught? How is
"when it comes into play" different that "if it would
come into play?"
A: Phyrexian Dreadnaught's ability replaces the entire
“comes-into-play”-event with “sacrifice 12 power of creatures, if
you did, put it into play, if you didn't, put it in the graveyard.”
This assures that the card can't ever come into play if you don't
sacrifice creatures. If it had said, “when it comes into play,
sacrifice 12 power of creatures”, it would trigger any comes-into-play
abilities, like Pandemonium, for potentially abusable effects. If it
helps, a clearer (and mostly equivalent) ability would be “Before
Phyrexian Dreadnaught comes into play, sacrifice 12 power of creatures.
If you don't, put Phyrexian Dreadnaught into your graveyard instead of
into play.”
Q: If a Phyrexian Dreadnaught is brought into play with an Illusionary
Mask is the sacrificing of 12-power worth of creatures ignored?
A: Yes, it is. If a card comes into play face down, it has no abilities,
and the game doesn't see that you need to sacrifice anything to put it
into play. If you later turn the creature face up, it's already in play,
so its ability won't apply then, either.
Q: Can Stifle help get a Phyrexian Dreadnaught into play easier?
A: No. Phyrexian Dreadnaught have replacement abilities that modify how
they enter play – the abilities are not triggered or activated, and
can't be countered by Stifle.
Masknaught is an extremely vicious and fast aggro deck, as very few
decks can survive against turn one 12/12 tramplers.
Mask uses various forms of disruption and control elements in order to
ensure that they get the combo into play with very minimal opposition.
Duress, Force of Will, Unmask, Cabal Therapy, Hymn to Tourach, makes
sure that you get rid of the cards they need to stop you from playing
that 12/12 as soon as possible. Usually, that’s the opposing Duress,
Cabal Therapy, Hymn to Tourach, Force of Will, Swords to Plowshares,
Rack and Ruin and, Artifact Mutation
Let’s delve into different Mask variants
Tainted Mask
for reference
//NAME: Mask, Tainted
// Mana (27)
4 Dark Ritual
3 Underground Sea
2 Underground River
2 City of Brass
2 Gemstone Mine
2 Swamp
2 Snow Covered Swamp
2 Polluted Delta
1 Bloodstained Mire
R Sol Ring
R Mox Emerald
R Mox Jet
R Mox Pearl
R Mox Ruby
R Mox Sapphire
R Black Lotus
// Beat You Silly (13)
4 Illusionary Mask
4 Phyrexian Dreadnought
3 Phyrexian Negator
2 Hypnotic Specter
// Disruption (9)
4 Duress
3 Unmask
2 Hymn to Tourach
// Utility (12)
4 Tainted Pact
1 Recoil
R Demonic Tutor
R Demonic Consultation
R Vampiric Tutor
R Yawgmoth's Will
R Necropotence
R Ancestral Recall
R Time Walk
Tainted mask relies on tainted pact as its primary tutor (which differs
itself from spoils mask). Thus the reason for a lot of one-ofs, two-ofs,
and three-ofs is so that you can maximize tainted mask- if there’s no
reason to run four copies of each card, try not to run them. Hence, the
funny mana base. Vault of Whispers might be considered if you’re
gunning for mono-black.
Duress, Unmask, Hymn to Tourach make sure you get your opponent’s
answers out of the way, Rack and Ruin, Force of Will, Swords to
Plowshares can really ruin your day.
The creature choices are solid: the usual suspects are Phyrexian
Negator, Hypnotic Specter, Nantuko Shade, Mishra’s Factory. Negator is
usually the best choice unless you’re playing against a lot of burn,
as they’re fast clocks on their own, Hypnotic Specter is obviously for
heavy control environments, and Nantuko Shade against others. Mishra’s
Factory are there to protect your Phyrexian Dreadnaughts from your
opponent’s Diabolic Edict, but they are now rarely used these days
because Morphling isn’t the house it used to be.
The deck is quite easy and straightforward to play, just play the combo
as quickly as you can against aggro. Combo presents a bigger problem,
since you’ll be facing Force of Will, and if your opponent goes first,
probably Mana Drain. You should obviously use your disruption first, to
ensure that you can get Illusionary Mask out. Remember that your
opponent can’t counter creatures that come into play via Illusionary
Mask- so getting it out will be key. Combo will be a lot trickier, as
you’ll have to rely on your disruption even more, you’ll want to
slow him down before he can go off, and be especially wary of using Hymn
to Tourach against Dragon.dec as you’ll be helping him more than
slowing it.
Because the deck relies on Illusionary Mask and Phyrexian Dreadnaught,
they cannot be substituted, and as such, you cannot build a budget
version of without masks, however, in the rare occasion that you do have
Illusionary Masks, but don’t have power (i.e. Moxen, Lotus, Ancestral,
Time Walk) this might help~
Tainted Mask, budget version, no Moxen, no Lotus, no Power Cards
//NAME: Mask, Tainted
// Mana (27)
4 Dark Ritual
3 Swamp
3 Snow Covered Swamp
3 Vault of Whispers
3 Wasteland
2 Underground Sea
2 Polluted Delta
2 Bloodstained Mire
R Strip Mine
R Sol Ring
R Lotus Petal
R Mana Vault
R Mana Crypt
// Beat You Silly (14)
4 Illusionary Mask
4 Phyrexian Dreadnought
3 Phyrexian Negator
3 Hypnotic Specter
// Disruption (11)
4 Duress
3 Unmask
2 Hymn to Tourach
2 Cabal Therapy
// Utility (9)
4 Tainted Pact
R Demonic Tutor
R Demonic Consultation
R Vampiric Tutor
R Yawgmoth's Will
R Necropotence
Wastelands and Strip Mines are added because the deck is significantly
slower without moxen, and you need to more disruption to compensate the
lack of first turn broken stuff by trying to slowing your opponent too.
Mana Vault is no Moxen, but it can function as a first turn Dark Ritual
and get that Mask into play on turn one, it can also fuel Unmask’s
colorless mana requirements.
Spoils Mask
Spoils Mask is generally regarded by others as the better Mask version.
However, Spoils Mask is a lot riskier to play. Accidental death from
Spoils of the Vault does happen. Don’t be surprised if you take six to
ten damage from spoils, that happens too. Spoils is a lot faster than
it’s Tainted Version because the tutor costs only one mana, and more
importantly, instead of running a lot of one-ofs, two-ofs and, three-ofs,
Spoils Mask runs everything in fours-ofs, thus improving redundancy.
For reference:
//NAME: Mask, Spoils
// Mana (27)
15 Swamp
4 Dark Ritual
R Mana Crypt
R Sol Ring
R Mox Emerald
R Mox Jet
R Mox Pearl
R Mox Ruby
R Mox Sapphire
R Black Lotus
// Beat You Silly (12)
4 Illusionary Mask
4 Phyrexian Dreadnought
4 Phyrexian Negator
// Disruption (13)
4 Duress
4 Unmask
3 Hymn to Tourach
2 Cabal Therapy
// Utility (9)
4 Spoils of the Vault
R Demonic Tutor
R Demonic Consultation
R Vampiric Tutor
R Yawgmoth's Will
R Necropotence
At this point it is important to note, that whichever of the two
versions you’re playing above, it shall be essential to know when and
how to mull properly. Since the deck doesn’t have any means of drawing
cards aside from Necropotence and, (when you’re playing blue),
sometimes, Ancestral Recall, it is imperative that you know which hands
to keep and which to mull.
A good hand of five or six cards is better than a weak hand of seven
cards. A full hand of nothing but lands plus none of the components or
no tutors in hand almost always deserve a mull. Remember that you
can’t use your excess mana since the deck doesn’t pack any X spells.
Sideboard options:
Recoil, Chain of Vapor
If you’re still running blue, both of these will be good sideboard
additions, to remove pesky enchantments or artifacts that got into play
like Chalice of the Void, Moat, Humility, and Animate Dead (for
Worldgorger Dragon).
Seal of Cleansing
White can be splashed with the use of Scrubland or City of Brass, it
serves the same use as Recoil and Chain of Vapor, except that it can be
cast earlier- Seal also gets rid of Chalice of the Void set at one (when
using Spoils Mask)
Tormod’s Crypt
Used against Dragon.dec, if you use 4 copies, this will usually be
enough to win the game, just side out your Hymn to Tourach and Hypnotic
Specter and board them in.
Hurkyll’s Recall
Used against brown decks like Stax and Mud.
Withered Wretch, Coffin Purge, Ebony Charm
More graveyard hate, Tormod’s Crypt is generally preferred over these,
but Withered Wretch may be better against Hulk Smash.
Hypnotic Specter, Nantuko Shade, Phyrexian Negator
Some dedicate four sideboard slots for these creatures in case they need
to change strategies.
Smother, Contagion
Used against GAT, Hulk Smash, Metalworker and Goblin Welders. Smother
has the advantage of taking out Dreadnaughts in the mirror, while
Contagion takes out multiple weenies- like a Birds of Paradise and a
Volrath’s Shapeshifter.
Gilded Drake, Plaguebearer.
Rarely used, but can be very effective in the mirror or other mask
variants. Plaguebearer has the added advantage of taking out man-lands
and token creatures for only one black mana too.
Lightning Greaves
Best defense against targeted removal- which you should expect on the
second game if they’re packing Smother, Swords to Plowshares, Rack and
Ruin, and even the pesky Goblin Welder.
The next two mask versions differ from the above two builds because they
fall into the “survival-mask” category
Venguer Mask
//NAME: Mask, Venguer originally by Carl Devos, TMD
// Mana (25)
4 Tropical Island
4 Savannah
4 Birds of Paradise
3 Wooded Foothills
2 Windswept Heath
2 Forest
2 Quirion Ranger
R Mox Emerald
R Mox Pearl
R Mox Sapphire
R Black Lotus
// The Combo (16)
4 Survival of the Fittest
4 Illusionary Mask
4 Phyrexian Dreadnought
3 Volrath's Shapeshifter
1 Squee, Goblin Nabob
// Silver Bullets (7)
2 Meddling Mage
1 Devout Witness
1 Voidmage Apprentice
1 Tradewind Rider
1 Phage the Untouchable
1 Genesis
// Utility (12)
4 Force of Will
3 Brainstorm
2 Swords to Plowshares
1 Sylvan Library
R Enlightened Tutor
R Time Walk
R Ancestral Recall
Venguer mask differs from the other two build because it incorporates
FeB (Full English Breakfast) elements into the traditional Illusionary
Mask + Phyrexian Dreadnaught.
This deck loses the first turn Phyrexian Dreadnaught bombs, but it makes
up by having a total of eight dreadnaughts in the form of Volrath’s
Shapeshifter. It forgoes the "pro-active" control strategy of
unmasks and hymns and instead focuses on "reactive" control of
the board through the use of force of wills and the
"silver-bullet" technique.
Popularized by Keeper, the "silver-bullet" method uses
specific cards in it’s deck to "neuter" problematic cards
that come into play, much like the “silver bullet” used to purge
werewolves, Survival of the Fittest is the gun while Meddling Mage,
Tradewind Rider, Devout Witness, and other creatures are the bullets
fired to your opponent.
Since you’re supposed to be already familiar with the masknaught
combo, I’m going to dwell into the other strategy that’s involved in
this deck.
If you are not familiar with the approach of FeB, your main purpose is
to get Survival of the Fittest into play as fast as possible, then fetch
Squee, Goblin Nabob in order to search for your bullets. Or if you
already have Illusionary Mask out, you might decide to go to the throat
and nab Phyrexian Dreadnaught for the win. Phage is fetched if your
opponent is playing control and you have shapeshifter out. Devout
witness against brown decks, and Tradewind Rider against Reanimator or
any deck relying on fatties.
The mana base is fairly obvious, Birds of Paradise to enable a second
turn shapeshifter or survival food, and Quirion Ranger is used to untap
everything from Birds of Paradise to Tradewind Rider.
One of it’s advantages over it’s non-survival based brethren is that
this deck is quite difficult to hate. Chalice really doesn’t hurt that
much, and the usual graveyard hate doesn’t hurt that much since you
can always rely on the mask + dreadnaught combo. Kegs don’t hurt that
much since there are one, two, and three casting cost threats. Rack and
Ruin, one of non-survival mask’s worst enemies, isn’t that painful
against survival based masks too.
The only thing you should be wary about when playing this deck, and the
next deck is that it plays on an extremely low land count. If you
don’t have quirion ranger in play, you might not be able to survive if
you don’t get a Birds of Paradise out
There are a lot of decisions to be made when playing this deck, but
over-all, this is one of the most interactive decks out there and it’s
never boring to play with.
Ninja Mask
//NAME: Mask, Ninja originally by Bryce Reynolds
// Mana (26)
4 Tropical Island
4 Bayou
3 Wooded Foothills
3 Windswept Heath
3 Birds of Paradise
3 Quirion Ranger
2 Forest
R Mox Emerald
R Mox Jet
R Mox Sapphire
R Black Lotus
// The Combo (17)
4 Survival of the Fittest
4 Illusionary Mask
4 Phyrexian Dreadnought
4 Volrath's Shapeshifter
1 Squee, Goblin Nabob
// Silver Bullets (3)
1 Phage the Untouchable
1 Gigapede
1 Psychatog
1 Genesis
// Utility (14)
4 Force of Will
4 Duress
4 Brainstorm
R Time Walk
R Ancestral Recall
Ninja Mask is another mask variant that utilizes survival of the
fittest. It runs a lot more disruption and control elements, than
Venguer Mask. And whereas the philosophy behind Venguer Mask is utility,
resiliency, and diversity, Ninja Mask follows believes that there are no
threats to control if the opponent is dead.
According to the original creator of the deck, "This deck is called
Ninja Mask because it focuses on trickery and deception in order to
force your opponent into making "play errors", additionally,
."Ninjas also rely on trickery and deception to exact pain, bloody
death and general unpleasantry upon those who have angered them."
Ninja Mask has maindeck Genesis in order to recycle Phyrexian
Dreadnaughts which have not been plowed- Psychatog is used to stack your
graveyard to make sure you always have the target you want for
Volrath’s Shapeshifter
Sideboard options:
Withered Wretch
Tormod’s Crypt, Withered Wretch, Ebony Charm, Coffin Purge, Ground
Seal.
These are a must when playing survival mask, since Dragon.dec is your
absolutely worst matchup, it’s too slow against combo, and these are a
must if you’re expecting the deck.
Gilded Drake
Takes care of the mirror and large fatties, and don’t forget that you
can play him with a mask out and get a 3/3 flyer if you have nothing
else to target it with.
Naturlaize, Nantuko Vigilante, Uktabi Orangutan, Elvish Lyrist
Takes care of annoying artifacts and enchantments
Ravenous Baloth, Bottle Gnomes
I’m not really a fan of these creatures, as I really don’t think
they’re going to be much help in your bad matches. But they can be
used to weed out dead spells like Swords to Plowshares.
Plaguebearer
As already stated above, this weenie takes good care of tokens and man
lands.
Xantid Swarm
A recent addition to green’s good creature line-up is this 0/1 flyer
that shuts down blue’s countermagic the moment it hits the board.
Tradewind Rider, Masticore, Flowstone Hellion, other utility creatures.
Since this deck can play like FeB, so you can use other utility
creatures that you deem necessary for your own metagame. |
